candy eggs and easter bonnets

I hope that you all had a lovely Easter.

The Easter Bunny came early this year, so I was well into my candy by the time that Easter rolled around. I'm now in the process of weaning myself off the sugar - which may prove difficult as I've still got a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs in my cupboard (remember, I'm saving them for an emergency).

My Aunt committed me months ago to go to the sunrise service at Arlington National Cemetery so I rolled out of bed at 4:50 am, threw on several layers of clothing, wiped off the smudges of makeup from the day before and made my way to the cemetery - making a couple stops along the way to pick up my sister and a friend. When we got there it was still dark but by the time the service started the sky was getting light. All in all it was nice service with good music, though I couldn't help think that it would have been pleasanter at 10 am.

After a nap and a shower, I went to my usual church meetings and the Easter program was very impressive. I am continually amazed by the musical talent in my ward. The talks were brief and focused on the life and resurrection of the Christ. It was a truly lovely meeting.

Later I was looking for something to watch on the tellie when I came across Easter Parade. For all musicals that I watched as a child, this one had slipped by me. I wasn't able to watch the whole thing, but the ending scene is just precious.

As a grand romantic gesture, Judy Garland's character sends Fred Astaire's character an Easter bonnet (this top hat with a white rabbit inside) to show him that she still loves him. Don't you just LOVE her dress, and those gloves! Not to mention Fred's coat and tails, the dancing the singing - it's all just makes my heart skip a beat!

It's so fluffy, I'm going to DIE!

I'm really feeling the birthday love. Many, many thanks!

Last night my sister, Abbey, came over and we did some serious baking - we did our best to recreate this beaut from my latest favorite food blog, Always With Butter.

And this frosting  - well, it's so FLUFFY! Who would have thought to put marshmallow creme in frosting? Well, it's genius and I'm guessing next to idiot proof. Frosting always makes me nervous, so I'm going to remember this one. Did I mention it's fluffiness?

Despicable Me, also genius. Don't argue with me, it's my birthday.

birthday blues

My birthday is a few days away, queue the crazy.

Crap, I thought this year was going to be different. I thought that this would be the year that I allowed myself to enjoy my birthday detached from unrealistic expectations, overwhelming feelings of inadequacy and anxiety about whether anyone could ever love me. I may have eaten half a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Therapy for dinner last night. Yep, I'm fighting the crazy here, let the plans to dissuade the birthday blues commence.

Agenda may include a pedicure and certainly a manicure; baking a birthday cake with my lil sister (who could be grumpy with a birthday cake like this?); and my favorite veggie burger with rosemary fries. I'm feeling better already.

cranky baby

So, I went back to work this week after a bout of unemployment and I have come to a conclusion.  Work is the pits, well this work is anyway.  I have been such a cranky baby the past two days, that I make myself laugh at my own ridiculousness.

Today, I got my new Virginia drivers license in the mail and the horrible picture nearly drove me into a tizzy.  I look like an oily, sleep deprived psychopath.  But then again, maybe it's the crankiness talking.  My roommate tried to make me feel better by telling me that it looks film noir - essentially an artsy spin on a creepy black and white photo, but thanks for trying.  

Sadly, I look more like the driver in my photo than his lovely passenger.

 

It's a stupid thing to care so much about, but I really liked my old picture and like I said, I've been a bit of a cranky baby lately.  Thankfully, though my cupboards are bare, I found a chocolate stash in the freezer that I'd almost forgot about and soothed my nerves with a little molten lava cake.  Once again, chocolate came to my rescue. Nom, nom, nom, I feel much better equipped to cope with the petty trials of life again.    

life lessons

I am recovering nicely from yesterday's funk and was reminded of a couple of things:  

1) Chocolate makes everything better - everything but bacon, it doesn't need any help.  

2) When you do good things, good things happen.  

Tonight I went to institute*.  It wasn't all that convenient and I considered skipping it, but I went anyway.  The lesson was good.  And afterward, I talked with a friend who, in the course of our conversation, helped me find the passion, direction and hope that I had misplaced somewhere along my job hunt.  It was just what I needed.

* Institute is a bible study class, of sorts.  It's a program within the LDS church for young adults to study the Bible and other scripture.

my latest obsession

So I kind of have this thing for dark chocolate - I love it. 

I like chocolate to much to see it diluted with an excess of sugar and dairy.

I also enjoy a good kitkat bar from time to time. What's not to love?  They're crispy and fun to pull apart and have one of the best jingles in the candy world.  (And they share a name with the Kit Kat Club - notorious sex club in Berlin - which I find humorously ironic.)  

Until now I just put up with their sugary sweet milk chocolate, but not anymore.

kitkat dark

I'm sort of in heaven.  This may just be the best candy that you can buy in a gas station convenience store in Fairbanks, Ak.

I know that is a pretty high standard but this little guy is a worthy contender.